03/12/2023
Jan Ernst Matzeliger invented the shoe lacing machine, revolutionizing the shoe industry. He was the son of a Dutch father and a Black Surinamese mother. This inventor is best known for his shoe-lasting machine that mechanically shaped the upper portions of shoes. His shoe interest grew out of his employment at a shoe factory.
Matzeliger began to explore creating a durable shoe using machinery to replace work by hand. He worked after hours for six months to produce a wooden model, and on March 20, 1883, he received a patent for his invention. Jan Matzeliger’s invention replaced the old by-hand method, and he also received additional shoe patents and other machinery. He also upgraded his original patent. His shoe-lacing machine revolutionized the shoe industry.
